The invention relates to a catheter for draining urine from the bladder of a user, and which is composed of a flexible tube and an insertion aid secured to the insertion end of the tube for inserting it into the urethra and guiding it therethrough into the bladder, and with the tube having at least one orifice in the region adjacent the insertion aid.
The invention further relates to a catheter for draining urine which is composed of a flexible tube for inserting it into the urethra and guiding it therethrough into the bladder, with the tube being made of plastic and having at least one orifice adjacent its insertion or free end or in the region preceding the free end.
For managing incontinence of male persons, in particular in the case of paraplegia, one applies, among other things, the so-called intermittent self-catheterization (ISK), by which the incontinent male person catheterizes himself four to six times a day. To remain continent between catheterization phases, the treating physician normally prescribes a medication that deactivates or sedates the bladder.
However, the known catheters for draining urine are problematic in practice, inasmuch as during the introduction of the catheter into the urethra and while guiding the catheter tip through the urethra into the bladder, it is necessary to overcome pockets, folds, bends, or the like. If one pushes the catheter with a corresponding force against the existing impediments in the urethra, one will face a considerable risk of injury
For example, in the art, one may refer to EP 0 384 476 BE1, which provides as an insertion aid a very special catheter tip. While this catheter tip is made flexible or elastic, it conically tapers toward its free end, and is rounded at its front or free end. Although this specific configuration permits pushing the catheter through the urethra into the bladder, while overcoming the aforesaid problem locations, it also presents in this instance a significant risk of injury because of the necessary application of force.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve and further develop a catheter, in particular a disposable catheter, in such a manner that it is easy to be handled by the user, and which reduces the normal risk of injury quite considerably, when being pushed into and through the urethra.